Saurax
Creature by: ' Hafidzul Ezani Zulkefli' Diet Sauraxes mostly feast on the leaves of trees that they can reach and shrubbery. Though largely herbivorous they have shown the capacity to consume flesh; mostly that of animal such as deer and cows. Physical characteristics Sauraxes are large warm blooded reptiles that can grow to a shoulder height of 4.5m and to weigh 7500kg.The hide of the Saurax are incredibly thick and tough, capable of breaking a small dagger if stabbed into it with enough force.The teeth of the Saurax are extremely hard and is used to chew through tree branches as part of their diet. Sauraxes have 2 pair of eyes and the reason why is still unknown, but it is theorised that this helps the animal with multiple zones of binocular vision to help detect predators.A Saurax moves around in a similar manner to elephants and have been known to take a bipedal stance when threatened or when battling for dominance.Adults use their hatchet tails which have the vertebrae fused in them as a defense mechanism as well as a way to cut down trees to build their nests.An alpha, or silverjaw will have more silver colourations on it's body, most notably on its jaw, giving it its namesake. The silverjaw also has more horns that are also stronger as well as a larger build that non silverjaw males.There is no significant visual difference between normal adult male and adult female Sauraxes. Behaviour Sauraxes live in pods with the number of members ranging from 3-8. Each pod contains one alpha male known as the Silverjaw, due to it's characteristic silver coloured jaw. The silverjaw is the one that mates with the females of the pod while other males of the pod, if there are any are not allowed to mate and mostly act as guards for the pod and will help in raising the offspring.A Saurax will give birth to a fully developed calf and said calf can eat by itself, but will stay with the mother for safety.A pod will often travel about 700m a day in their territories ranging from 3km ²-5km ².Sauraxes are mostly docile and can be approach safely until a very close range, but when agitated, will become aggressive and deadly. When a pod is threatened, the silverjaw will be the main defender, followed by the males of the pod and then if needed, the females. When a target is being attacked, Sauraxes will often focus their attacks on said target and take it down together. Sauraxes communicate by using their air sacks in their lower jaw to push air out of their larynx to produce a low rumbling sound similar to that of a foghorn. A male can challenge a silverjaw for dominance over a pod.The challenge is rarely fatal and involves the two opposing Sauraxes to lock forelegs. The conditions of victory is to push the opponent down and for the victor to place its foreleg on the airsac of the defeated Saurax.This appears to be what triggers the hormones that inhibit the formation of a silverjaw. The defeated silverjaw will gradually lose it's silver colouring as well as its extra horns. The victor will start producing the silverjaw hormones as soon as it mates. A defeated silverjaw does not usually leave the pod, however they have been know to rechallenge and reclaim their pods.